The Ones That We Keep
by Masterless
Summary: Loosely based on the Spiderverse Team up #2, this fan depiction will take the events of the Spider-Verse and the Amazing Spider-Man franchise and bring them together. Exploring the popular comic book event with the highly debated recent Spider-Man movie in the same world.
1. Prologue

_Thwip_!

One line at a time.

 _Thwip!_

Before he lets go of one, he connects another, ensuring that his momentum continues. Another cold night, and the freezing winds are only enhanced by the speed he gains swinging across the city. The lack of proper clothing for conditions such as this would definitely bother someone else but not him. He's used to the bitter cold feeling of the wind, to the blistering snow, through the rain, the humidity, scorching summer day, and even in the toughest storms, he is used to slinging himself across open air wearing the dark and skin tight clothing that he does. No weather condition hampers him down.

"Look ma, it's him!" a young boy down below shouts out as he points at the web slinger. "It's Spider-Man!"

"No, honey, that's not him," the mother responds, pulling her child closer to her as the shadow from the sky swings pass them. "That's an _impostor_."

It's not the first time he's heard that and it won't be the last. Frankly, he doesn't care. He stopped caring about what people think of him the moment he decided to put his web shooters back on. A year and a few months of grieving, hours and hours of guilt, and the never-ending moment where he heard the collision of her head on the concrete floor—she was all that mattered to him. It was _his_ fault. It was because he was too soft, too naïve, and inept. Peter wanted to rectify those mistakes the second he decided to go back out in the world as Spider-man. He wanted to make sure that Gwen Stacy's death _meant_ something other than the guilt he keeps with him.

 _Something catches his sixth sense_ : a scream for help a few blocks away.

Quickly redirecting himself by spinning another line of web, Spider-Man swings the direction of the disturbance on full speed. Within minutes, he lands on top of a building where right across from him is a clichéd scene he has seen too many times before. Inside a building, Spider-Man observes as two masked men are stalking a woman who is clearly afraid for her life, trying desperately to use any obstruction (furniture, or what not) she can to prevent the men from getting any closer. The rope and duct tape in their hands clearly points out what their purpose is. As to _why_ she is the victim, Peter doesn't need to know. With a leap, Spider-Man crashes through the window, landing between the thugs and the woman—causing all three to gawk at his direction. The woman lets out a plea, indicating the obvious that she needs help. Both nervous by the unannounced arrival of the wall crawling vigilante, the thugs reach for their firearms, hell-bent on making sure that they either kill Spider-Man or at least escape with their lives; but before they had the chance to even aim, Spider-Man makes his move. Using his web shooter to reel one of them in, Peter delivers an uppercut to the man's jaw, quickly knocking him out of the fight. The second one starts shooting but each fire shot are sloppy, barely forcing Parker to dodge them. Sticking to the ceiling after the last bullet whizzes pass him, Spider-Man takes the moment he needs to adjust his web shooter to the proper setting and fires back. The result of his attack is a painful growl as the webbing Spider-Man shot stiffened and impales the target; at this case, the said target is the man's arm. Sharp webs shaped like small spears protruding from the man's bicep and forearm, causes the thug to drop the gun and fall on his knees in pain. He may be conscious but the injuries are detrimental, obvious by the blood profusely pouring from them—the fight is over and the woman is safe.

"H-help…"

Or Peter thought she was safe. Focusing his attention behind him, he quickly sees the woman on the ground, bleeding around the naval area. The bullets missed him but one struck the woman giving her a mortal wound that will probably drain her of her life within minutes. Jumping to her side, Peter looks down on the woman as she groans in pain, desperately trying to utter more words, trying to grasp the last moments of what life she has left. She will die, and there is _nothing_ Spider-Man can do about it. With eyes narrowing under the opaque makeshift eyes of his mask, Peter rushes towards the bleeding thug and aggressively lifts him by his neck.

"Aar… stop! I… I give… up!" the words barely came out as the man chokes from Spider-Man's unremitting grip.

"I don't take prisoners."

With those words, Spider-Man aims his free hand on the open mouth of the thug and let loose lines and lines of webbing. The man tries to resist, but within seconds, the act fills him up and he soon chokes to death. When the deed is done, Spider-Man spends a few seconds staring at the body he is holding; just like the woman he tried to save, the man is dead. In more ways than one, both died because of him tonight. At least one of them for sure deserved it. With that thought in mind, Peter throws the corpse to the side and walks over to the unconscious criminal who will probably wake up with a broken jaw due to the force Peter threw into the punch. Spider-Man's old tactic after deterring crimes such as these would usually entails leaving 'gifts' in the form of unconscious thugs in front of the police station. He would find some way to form his signature web, stringing them up like a fly on a web. More than once after his return, Spider-Man contemplated on those charades—remembering their purpose and why they are more than just to show the people of New York that he can 'do whatever a spider can'. It was a moral code that he took on—if he could help it, killing is not an option. He was not an executioner—a moral obligation to do good deeds but never to stoop to the level of evil those heinous men would commit.

 _That was the obsolete, naïve, and inept_ Spider-man's methods. So they spend a few years or less behind bars? Sooner or later they would be out on the street doing the only things they knew how. Taking a glance at the woman whom he wasn't able to save, Spider-Man drags the unconscious thug to edge of the 'makeshift' door he made and without a single thought, Peter drops the man to his death some few feet down below. No signature fly on the web, no wasted time taking him to the nearest police station, and no chances of the thug getting back on the streets. This is the permanent solution; this is Spider-Man's method now.

 _Thwip!_

Shooting another line of web, Spider-man slings himself across the sky, hoping that the next scene he finds will be better than this one.

* * *

1:21 a.m. The graveyard is usually empty at this time, _usually_. This night however, a lone figure stands over a tombstone, staring at it despondently. It has been said that the particular person buried underneath the said tombstone often has a visitor that is not of the norm. At strange times, people would see a shadow of a man looming over the person's grave but in a blink of an eye he is gone. Though one would clearly see that tonight it's not a man visiting the grave—it's a woman.

"I couldn't save you," she whispers to herself for the hundredth time as she stares at the name on the tombstone. "I tried, but I couldn't."

The name on the tombstone is all too familiar since it is also her name. Gwen Stacy, aka Spider-Woman, never really thought about how it would feel to see her name written on a tombstone. As of right now, there are a myriad of emotions drowning her, forcing her to slide the hood and the mask off of her face. Sadness is for sure a prominent feeling; reading all the things that this Gwen was about definitely evokes more than enough feelings such as sorrow. This Gwen was a loving daughter, a kind sister, a beloved friend, and one that was so young and yet achieved many things. She had a bright future ahead of her, but that future is now gone—buried just like her; much like Peter Parker of this Spider-Woman's world.

"How I feel right now," Gwen crouches down, touching the ground that this Gwen Stacy is buried under, "do you feel the same way Peter? Do you still keep that guilt with you everywhere you go? Or is it the guilt that takes you wherever it needs to go? Did it take over you already? Are you really too late to save so that you can join our fight?"

 **To Be Continued.**


	2. Chapter I

Another portal opens. The fifth one in the last hour. For Gwen, it's amazing and frightening at the same time. The question of 'how _many worlds_ are out there?' keeps repeating in her mind as she gawks at them. There really was a lot to take in from the get go. Even meeting a British _Spider-Man_ was an odd moment. Hell, meeting a Spider-Man… **a** **Spider- _Man_** for crying out loud! Gwen always thought she was the only one with spider powers but to find out that there is a **_Spider-Man_** shattered that mindset. Then of course there was the fact that she learned about the Multiverse, which contains a plethora of Spider-Men and Spider-Women! Gwen constantly has to remind herself that she is awake and not dreaming. As odd as the shapes and sizes that are entering through each portal, Gwen knows that being sucked dry of her life force is an even worse image to grasp.

"Coming through!"

And another one jumps through the portal. Another Spider-Man. From the sound of it, he is another Peter Parker. The first time Gwen heard one of the Spider-Men talk, her heart almost popped out of her chest. She wanted to run to that person and give him a hug, but she discovered a cruel fact: the majority of the Spider-Men that would be jumping through the portal is a Peter Parker from an alternate reality. She had to remind herself over and over again that the Peter she knew is dead; he didn't carry the Spider Totem and because of that he died… in her arms. None them are him.

"Gwen?!" almost immediately, the web slinger that came through the portal is gawking at her. "You're alive?!"

Then there's the cruel experience that almost every Peter Parker in the Multiverse has gone through: _Gwen Stacy's death_. After the eighth time being gawked at like she was a ghost, Gwen should have slid her mask back over her face. It's not that she is getting annoyed by it… it's more she's getting more and more dejected by it.

"That is Gwen, and yes she is alive," one of the most peculiar Spider-folk, Spider-Ham, intercepts the Spider-Man who is now walking towards Gwen. A talking pig dressed in blue and red tights is definitely one of the strangest things Gwen has seen, "but she isn't your Gwen, pal. Now come on! We have a mission! I didn't bring you here so that you can _bug_ the poor girl. Bug, get it?!"

The pun and the laughter (mixed with the oinking) is something Gwen can ignore but the look in that Spider-Man's eyes she cannot. The moment he saw Gwen, he pulled his dark brown, spider-influenced mask just so he can get a glimpse of her without the impediment. In the same token, she got to look into his eyes—he's different of course; he has a much more mature, haggard, and rugged look, but he is a Peter Parker. If Her Peter lived to be this man's age, he would look relatively the same (probably cleaner cut). Again the feeling of wanting to hold him grew stronger and she would have given in, luckily Spider-Ham got in the way. But even as he is led away, he tries to keep his eyes on Gwen, and she the same. How many times must she see his face before the idea sinks in that they aren't _the_ Peter Parker of her world—That they are not _her_ Peter Parker that she loved and ended up killing? Sighing, Gwen slides her mask over her face. She won't get over it so she might as well try to avoid it. Guess the mask isn't just for secret identities after all.

"There you are," a feminine voice calls from behind Gwen, causing her to turn around, "been looking all over for you."

"H-Hello…" Gwen immediately catches herself before her voice completely squeaks out of place.

"You are a cutie," with a teasing tone, the woman slides off her red and yellow mask, revealing a beautiful green-eyed face behind. "Old Man Spidey wasn't joking with me."

The sight of another _Spider-Woman_ eases some of the duress that Gwen is feeling from having to endure another Peter Parker calling out to her, but there is something about this woman that causes Gwen to feel certain sensations she never thought she would have for another woman. Taking a deep breath, Gwen takes in the image of the person donning the complimenting red tights who is giving her an awfully friendly smile.

"You said you were looking for me?" Gwen finally managed to say after shaking some of the strange thoughts off.

"Well, it's more Spidey from the United Kingdoms looking for you, but when I heard a _Spider-Gwen_ exists, it piqued my interest," Gwen blinks under her mask as the woman called her 'Spider-Gwen'. A strange and somewhat fitting name—though not exactly a smart alias to use when fighting crime; secret identity and all. "Oh sorry, where are my manners? I'm Spider-Woman… or.. err… My name is Jessica Drew."

Gwen smiles meekly, having the urge to pull her mask up and give Jessica the same gesture of being mask-less. "I'd introduce myself, but I think you already know who I am."

"I know of you. I never met _you_ in my universe before though…." Jessica stops herself, but Gwen already knew what she was going to say. With a smile, Jessica pushes her long black hair aside and starts walking—her body language implying for Gwen to follow. "This is all so weird, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah. But what would be even more weird is if you tell me that you are a girl version of Peter Parker."

Jessica stops walking for a moment. A few seconds after the abrupt stop, she lets out an obnoxious laugh while shaking her head. "That would be funny, wouldn't it?"

"Not that funny."

"Well, from what I heard from the web-line, there is a girl version of Petey who happens to share yours truly's name," with a shrug of her shoulders, Jessica continues walking with Gwen following behind. "But, I've been in the whole replacement situation before, not a fan. I'll stick with being the _first_ and the _best_."

Anyone could easily pick up on Jessica's words and consider them arrogance. Even the way she saunters, swaying her hips side to side so deliciously, head held high, even the tone she uses when she's talking—it's _very_ easy for Gwen to consider this Spider-Woman as being a pompous and narcissistic person, but she doesn't. Reading between the lines, Gwen can catch a certain 'weakness' in Jessica Drew despite the confidence that she exudes. Just the way she said the last sentence implies something traumatic… the caring way she talked about the Peter Parker and the Gwen Stacy of her world truly does counter balance her almost _too_ boastful way she was talking. If Gwen was to take a guess, this Spider-Woman has far more flaws than perfection despite the visage and the presence. Then again, Gwen is in the same boat too—the academically smart and pretty girl of her school who never tried to do anything with her brains to get into the best college or somehow always seems to be late to _everything._ Or how about the fact that she couldn't save her boyfriend despite her powers? Despite being 'special', she couldn't save one of the people that she holds dear. That on its own is weakness that she tries to hide inside of her. The guilt she always keeps with her.

"Finally found her," and amidst all her reverie, Gwen recognizes the voice of the Spider-Man that informed and recruited her against the Inheritors. He has that British accent so it's easy to pick him out.

"Yeah I sure did. Glad she picked a costume that stood out among all the reds and blues."

Gwen rolls her eyes at the comment. There were a bit too many red and blue tights—as if the Mutliverse Spider-Men didn't know that there were other colors to use. The occasional variant colors like Gwen's does stick out like a sore thumb.

"Good. Now it's time for you to rally up the others in your Universe."

"Anya and Cindy are easy enough to find. Never met this new 'Spider-Woman'," Jessica makes quotations as she mentions about the new Spider-Woman. "As if my world needed another one," sliding her mask over her face, Jessica gives Gwen one last glance before patting her on the shoulder and storming off to do what she said she would do.

"How are you holding up with all of this?"

Turning to face the British Spider-Man after Spider-Woman disappears behind the portal, Gwen tries fervently to find an answer that would sum up all the things she is feeling. No such luck so with a shrug of her shoulders, she answers the best she can.

"Holding up. And I thought my Dad finding out I am … _Spider-Woman_ would be the hardest thing on my emotional baggage."

"Discovering that there is a Multiverse is usually hard on most people. Finding out that there is an evil family that wants every single Spider related person sucked dry of their life… now that's even something I could barely stomach," the tone and his body language mirrors his words. Gwen can't lie to herself, she is scared as much as she is still bewildered.

"Okay, did the super model Spider-Woman fetch me so you can freak me out some more?"

"I already told you about the Inheritors' plans. I would think that you gained a little stomach for the idea of this war."

"A little? Yes. But you're used to this kind of thing, right?" he responds with a nod. "Well, to hear that even you are freaked out about this doesn't do a whole lot for my bravado, just saying, Billy."

Billy Braddock doesn't say anything. Instead he just smiles while he fidgets with the strange device on his wrist. It's not until another portal opens up that he starts talking.

"This is Earth-7312. I won't bore you with the details of the alternate versions of everyone but," he narrates as the the image in the portal shows a graveyard, one that seems to be focused on a particular tombstone, "there is a story of a Spider-Man in here that resonates with yours."

Of course Gwen already guessed—a tombstone with her name on it. "A lot of these Spider-Men have that reminder in their head, you know. And… seeing a grave with my name on it doesn't do _anything_ for my bravado either. _Just saying_."

"We all have guilt, Gwen, and that's the dangerous thing a lot of these Spider-Men all have in common."

"Okay, I get it. No need for the depressing lectures already. What do you need me to do? Give everyone a pep talk about how the Gwen they knew is probably proud of them?"

"Something like that. But not to that extreme; in fact, the Spider-Man in this Universe—"

"So I give this Spider-Man a pep talk and recruit him to our team, right?" there was sass in Gwen's way of interrupting Billy, which of elicits a sigh from him. Sliding his mask off, Billy gives Gwen a very serious look—a grim expression that is also mixed in with a bit of concern. "I'm not taking my mask off," she tells him. "Every time I do, some freaking Peter Parker who happens to have my powers in an alternate universe comes calling my name."

"Gwen, sometimes we need to see the other side to really depreciate the guilt that is holding us back," completely ignoring her last statement, he slowly offers a device similar to the one on his wrist. "Go to this world and try to get this Spider-Man to see that it wasn't his fault."

As the words echoed in her head, Gwen takes a moment to glance at the device before looking at the portal. As if she needed her world to get anymore crazier… she has to do the one thing she has a hard time to believe.

"Did you have to open it to a graveyard with my name on it?" she asks as she takes the device and straps it to her wrists.

"No, but I thought I'd help paint the picture."

Gwen gives an audible sigh as Billy closes the portal. "I thought you were different being the 'Spider-UK' and all. But I guess all Spider-Men have to resort to joking around despite how grim the situation is."

"Spider-UK?" Billy cocks an eyebrow at Gwen's usage of the nickname. "I'd rather go with Spider-Man, to be perfectly honest with you."

"Well that's not going to be confusing or anything. Besides, _Spider-Woman_ over there just labeled me 'Spider-Gwen'."

"That Jessica Drew does have a way with words, doesn't she?"

"Words and something else," with that last statement, Gwen realizes that she failed to repress her strange thoughts of seeing the raven haired Spider-Woman. There truly was something about her. As she was about to ponder some more about it, Gwen finds Billy grabbing her wrist and starts fidgeting with the device he gave her. As much as it was a good thing that he interrupted her musing, he still came unnervingly too fast and close for her comfort. "Hey! What are you doing?"

"I'm more than positive that you're going to want to learn how to use this."

Furrowing her eyes underneath the mask, Gwen tries her best to pay attention as Billy starts breaking down the usage of the device; she also tries to ignore the fact that he was somewhat too close, but personal space is something she can't worry about with what's really at stake. She decides its best that she just absorbs everything he is saying. For the most part it's not as difficult as it would seem. Learning it isn't the problem—the fact that she has to use it to 'talk' to a Peter Parker about dropping the guilt and joining the fight… that is something she isn't entirely sure she can deal with.

" _Guess I have to be up for it_ ," Gwen tells herself, " _can't let these Inheritors suck the life of another Peter Parker_."

 **To Be Continued.**


End file.
